Bright Smiles

Getting acquainted with gum-disease symptoms can help to detect the onset of gum diseases at the earliest and seek the appropriate treatment. Gum diseases can be easily detected at home if an individual is prepared to spend a few minutes to observe the overall condition of his oral cavity. Some common symptoms that indicate the initial stages of a gum disease include:

Gums that seem to have receded in certain parts of the jaw, making the teeth appear longer—this is due to loss of gum tissue

Gums that tend to remain puffed-up with a distinct reddish hue—indicates inflammation of the gums

Tender gums that often hurt upon eating even moderately-hard foods—swollen gums are more tender

Gums with distinct spaces between them, creating small voids in which food often gets collected—again, due to gradual loss of gum tissue

Gums that bleed easily upon brushing or flossing rigorously—indicates the weakened state of the gums

Constant bad breath from the mount even upon repeated use of medicated mouthwashes—indicates the presence of bacterial infection

Seeking Appropriate Treatment

The ideal approach is to immediately seek an appointment with a dentist when it is evident that the noted symptoms are worsening. It should be understood that seeking professional guidance at this stage can cure the gum disease and prevent further damage. Further, the recommendations from a dentist at this stage emphasize upon better, oral hygiene that are easy-to-follow. This helps to prevent complications that might lead to painful cures such as tooth extractions or root canal procedures. At the most, the attending dentist might recommend one or two sessions wherein the plaque is mechanically removed. This is an undemanding process as the scraping of plaque hardly induces any discomfort. Often called scaling, this process helps to remove the tartar; freeing them of the bacterial infection and making them appear whiter.

Remember, Follow-up care is critical

You should ensure that you don’t neglect the follow-up care for your teeth. This includes maintaining a proper oral hygiene regimen along with attending regular check-ups to gain a first-hand report on the health of your gums. After the few sessions explained above, the dentist might recommend using certain mouthwashes for a restricted period. These are essentially mouth-wash solutions with a higher concentration of the chemical compounds aimed at limiting bacterial development. These are prescribed for a short duration to patients that don’t have a pressing, gum-related problem. After the prescribed schedule, you can continue to use your regular toothpaste and mouth-washes, combined with daily flossing to ensure that the gum disease doesn’t resurface.